The Harris County Sheriff's Office says Ivy Hamilton Jr., 34, is charged with promotion of prostitution as an alleged pimp. (HCSO)

The Harris County Sheriff's Office says Ivy Hamilton Jr., 34, is...

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The Harris County Sheriff's Office says Charlotte McCombs, 56, is charged with the felony of prostitution after at least three previous convictions for prostitution. She was also charged with possession of a controlled substance, cocaine. (HCSO)

Female sheriff's deputies posing as prostitutes and male deputies posing as customers were part of several stings in the past week that put 37 people in jail.

The work was a joint effort of the Harris County Sheriff's Office Special Investigations Vice Unit, with assistance from the Harris County Joint Task Force and the Precinct 4 Constable's Office, according to a sheriff's office news release.

Among the charges filed were felony prostitution, promotion of prostitution and felony possession of a controlled substance.

"If you buy or sell sex, you go to jail," Sheriff Adrian Garcia said in a prepared statement. "Prostitution frequently involves human trafficking, sex slavery, substance abuse and theft. Those are not so-called victimless crimes."

During one of the sting operations, sheriff's office investigators witnessed a major two-car accident at an intersection.

A vehicle carrying four children rolled several times before resting on the driver's side door. Sheriff's investigators, with the help of other witnesses, ran to the scene and flipped the vehicle back on its wheels, according to the release.

The deputies stayed with the children until paramedics arrived, the release said.

The Harris County Joint Task Force is a partnership between the Harris County Sheriff's Office and Precinct 3 Constable's Office targeting crime prevention and interdiction in east Harris County.